Whisk together the sugar, dry milk powder, cornstarch, and salt.Split open vanilla beans and scrape seeds into sugar mixture, whisking to combine evenly. Cut pods into pieces, place in airtight container, and add sugar mixture. Mix well to combine.Store in fridge.

Rum Syrup:

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup water

pinch kosher salt

1/2 cup dark rum

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar and water and
boil about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat and stir in
rum. Once mixed in, return pan to heat and heat through, about 30
seconds.

Fruit Syrup:

1 cup chopped strawberries

1 cup chopped cherries

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

Mix all ingredients in small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until simmering and sugar has dissolved. Reduce liquid a bit to concentrate flavors.

Directions:

For the cake:

Heat oven to 325°.

Grease and flour Bundt pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.

Using electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4
minutes. Stir in flour mixture and 3 TB oil and mix for about 2
minutes. Add the pudding mix (without the vanilla beans), at medium-low speed, until combined.

When the cake is done, immediately and SLOWLY pour about 2/3 cup rum syrup and 1/2 the fruit syrup over bottom of cake. (The cake is still in the bundt pan.) Let seep in for 5 minutes.

Invert cake onto serving platter. Using skewer, poke holes all over the
cake - top, sides, inside. SLOWLY pour remaining rum syrup and some of the remaining fruit syrup over top of
cake, allowing it to drip down sides and soak into cake. Pour and rest. Let the syrup soak in. You don't want all the syrup pooling at the
bottom, so go slowly. Pour and rest. Poke more holes. Pour and rest. Save some of the fruit and fruit syrup for individual slices.

Cool to room temperature before serving.
If you can wait.

Slowly pour the rum syrup over the bottom of the cake.

Slowly pour the fruit syrup over the bottom of the cake.
Let it soak in.

Invert cake onto serving platter and poke holes - lots of 'em - on the top, on the outside, and on the inside of the cake - all over.
Pokey pokey.
Pour. Pour.